The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-07-27
A DIAMOND BETRAYED HIN.
How Burton, the stsge-Robber, Was Hi.
nally Captured.

nally Captured.
From the Kansas City Journal.
The publication of the adventures of
Burton, the noted stage-robber, in the
Eastern papers, recalls the history of
his capture. Capt. w. l.. Richardson,
OF this city, was the man who captured
him. In speaking of the matter he
said:
Zone day / was in Pueblo, when
news came that the mysterious bandit
had robbed stage just outside of Ala
mosa about dusk the n ght before, and,
after taking between SIS, 900 and ,0s0,
boldly rode into the town ahead of the
despoiled coach. knowing the nature
OF the man, 1 suspected he would come
to Pueblo, and determined to catch
, him and catch him alone.
:" singular freak of Burton's was to
wear an immense diamond shirt-stud
whenever he held up coach, and many
victims eyes had been dazzled by
this cruel display while his pockets
were being emptied. L determined to
watch for that diamond. About l
o'clock p. m. the train from Alamosa
pulled in, and among the passengers
was q well-built man, fairly dressed.
with a cap pulled over his eyes. He
walked toward the depot door in a man.
ner that attracted my attention and l
intercepted him.
- Your name is so and SO, said l.
No it isn't was the reply. yes it is,
returned. He denied it again and
said, carelessly, well, l guess you're
right As was talking to him l saw
the famous diamond. l was sure that
a man who would rob stage full of
miners single-handed would fight.
covered him and told him to throw up
his hands. He hesitated moment. L
thought would have to kill him, but
he finally weakened and confessed.
then secured all the money and sent
him up to Denver. When near Tomb
stone he received permission to go to
the closet, and took advantage of the
chance to leap through the window.
The train was stopped, backed down,
and Burton was recaptured. After his
heavy sentence and while on his way to
the Detroit House of Correction he
again leaped from the train and nearly
succeeded in escaping, but that part of
the story is too well known to bear rep
etition.
THE worst adventure l ever had
with this class of robbers, who are now
hardly ever heard from, was in 1858 in
Texas near Colorado City, and true
account of it has never appeared in
print before, l believe. l had been
appointed to a position in the secret
service and given the task of breaking
up the Donovan gang of stage and
mail robbers, There were thirteen
members, some of whom had been
with Sam Bass. They were desper-
ate lot and committed many murders,
among which was that of an inoffensive
traveller and his wife. They hid in the
Talpena Mountains in holes and caves
that were almost impossible to dis
cover, but one day we found seven of
them in a blind canon and besieged
them. l had seven Texas rangers with
me and determined to make them
come out and fight. After lyirg be-
fore the entrance of the canon three or
four days they made their appearance
and opened fire. We were about 400
feet apart and that is point blank
range with Winchester when dead
shot is working the pump handle.
One of the rangers was wounded and
another one skulked, but we made the
rifle after an hours fighting. They
surrendered and we found we had
killed two of their party, Elias Court
right and a man named Dean, two
of the worst of the gang. j. Walker,
the two Donovans, johnson, and Car
ter were sent up for life. 1 was shot
through the right shoulder, but kept
right on until another ball caught me
in the arm. 1 was laid up fourteen
months from the effect of the wounds. +"
Kansas City Journal.